Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) hosted a gathering of influential industry leaders at IAA to highlight the importance of hydrogen powertrains and their role in driving a sustainable future. Guests were members and invitees of the Hydrogen Engine Alliance (Allianz Wasserstoff Motor), which was founded earlier in 2022 as a group of important automotive companies, industry suppliers and academic institutions. The event’s speakers included members of the Hydrogen Engine Alliance, Cummins, EDAG, VDMA and AVL.

Jens Huettner, Account Director – Europe commented, “Cummins has a strong commitment to advancing hydrogen engine power as one of a broad range of solutions to reduce carbon emissions. It was helpful to meet with our compatriots to highlight this technology that will drive environmental benefits across a wide range of applications.”

The event visitors were able to see a medium-duty delivery concept truck powered with Cummins B6.7H hydrogen engine rated at 216 kW with 1200 Nm peak torque.  Paired with a 700-bar pressure high-capacity hydrogen storage system, it has a potential operating range of up to 500 kilometres for multi-drop distribution haulage.

“Working with EDAG, the diesel to hydrogen conversion was achieved without compromising truck performance or payload, which promises a solution that should help accelerate fleet decarbonisation while using technologies that the industry is familiar with,” added Huettner.

Andreas Kufferath on behalf of the Hydrogen Engine Alliance said “We are convinced that the hydrogen engine will make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of the commercial transportation industry. The technology is manageable and the development effort is straightforward in many areas, as many components are shared with today’s modern internal combustion engines. The challenge lies in the availability of hydrogen infrastructure, including the production of green hydrogen. The introduction of the hydrogen engine as a complementary CO₂-neutral technology, alongside the battery-electric and fuel-cell powertrain, is mandatory to meet societal needs and to keep commercial applications affordable.”

Peter Müller-Baum, Managing Director Engines and Systems at VDMA added, “Hydrogen will be a key enabler in reducing greenhouse gas emissions – particularly for heavier-duty applications. It is imperative hydrogen internal combustion engines are accepted as a ZEV solution to enable swifter uptake of zero-carbon solutions. Moreover, technological openness is key – there is no one-size-fits all solution and we need a range of power options to achieve our climate goals.”

Alongside the B6.7H visitors got to see the larger Cummins’ X15H hydrogen engine aimed at heavy-duty trucks up to 44T GVW, with a top rating of 530 hp (395 kW) and an impressive peak torque of 2600 Nm.